The MCI Sentinel Program™
Improving the Diagnostic Approach to MCI in the Primary Care Setting
Outcomes Measurement
Outcomes, Inc. assessed the impact of the intervention. Effectiveness of the education was measured using a survey comprised of evidence-based case vignettes, questions about physician confidence, and questions about barriers to the optimal early detection of MCI. Surveys were administered to a group of participants (who received the monograph) and a similar group of non-participants (who did not receive the monograph), allowing for assessment and reporting based on the following questions:- How do practice approaches to the diagnosis and management of dementia and MCI, by program participants, compare with those of non-participants?
- Does adherence to clinical practice guidelines and clinical evidence differ between participant and non-participant groups?
- Were there differences in perceived barriers to the optimal diagnosis and management of dementia and MCI associated with educational activity participation?
- Was there a difference in the confidence in diagnosis and managing dementia and MCI between educational activity participants and non-participants?
The effect size was .37. This is an average range for a passive educational activity. Though this activity was passive in its design, the inclusion of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was effective we believe in improving confidence of the participants as compared to the non-participants. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being not at all confident and 10 being very confident, participants in “The MCI Sentinel Program™” rated their confidence level 6.9 and non-participants rated their confidence level 5.5, demonstrating the potential influence of being up-to-date as a result of participation.
Results of the survey of MCI recognition in community care settings, among participants who received the monograph and nonparticipants who did not, included:
How likely are you to formally screen a patient whose complaints may indicate cognitive impairment?
If you were to elect to assess a patient’s cognitive status, which of the following approaches would you use?
The MCI Sentinel Program™ had a positive impact on physicians intention to use the MoCA, which has high specificity for MCI, instead of the MMSE, which has a lower specificity for MCI.
The MCI Sentinel Program™ was supported through an unrestricted educational grant from Pfizer, Inc.
Final Report: The MCI Sentinel Program™: “Improving the Diagnostic Approach to MCI in the Primary Care Setting.”
